Tourist destinations are often presented as safe and welcoming, but some cities face severe problems with violent crime. Comparing crime levels around the world is not straightforward: countries collect statistics differently, and the boundaries of metropolitan areas can vary considerably.
One useful measure is the homicide rate: the number of intentional killings per 100,000 inhabitants in a year. The following ranking is based on the 2025 report by the Mexican Citizens’ Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice (CCSPJP), published in February 2026. It covers cities and urban areas with populations of more than 300,000, outside active war zones.
1 Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Port-au-Prince has faced a severe security crisis, with armed gangs controlling large parts of the capital and fighting for territory. Violence has disrupted everyday life, forced people from their homes and made access to essential services increasingly difficult.
The 2025 ranking estimates 197.43 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, the highest rate among the cities included in the study.
2 Babahoyo, Ecuador
Babahoyo, in Ecuador’s Los Ríos province, has been affected by the country’s escalating violence. Ecuador has become an important transit point in international cocaine trafficking, and competition between criminal organisations has contributed to a sharp increase in murders and other violent offences.
The estimated homicide rate reached 166.02 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, placing Babahoyo second in the ranking.
3 Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa
Nelson Mandela Bay is a metropolitan municipality in South Africa that includes Gqeberha, Kariega and surrounding areas. Parts of the region have struggled with serious violent crime, including gang-related killings and disputes over territory.
Its estimated homicide rate was approximately 119.8 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, making it the third-highest entry in the report.
4 Machala, Ecuador
Machala is an important commercial centre in southern Ecuador and the capital of El Oro province. Its proximity to the coast and major export routes has made the surrounding region strategically important to criminal groups involved in drug trafficking.
The city recorded an estimated 116 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, placing it among the most violent urban areas in the world.
5 Quevedo, Ecuador
Quevedo is another Ecuadorian city affected by the country’s growing struggle with organised crime. Its location in Los Ríos province, an important agricultural and transport region, has made competition between criminal groups a serious security concern.
The estimated homicide rate was approximately 109 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025.
6 Culiacán, Mexico
Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state, has long been associated with powerful drug-trafficking organisations. In recent years, internal conflicts between rival factions have contributed to a new wave of shootings, killings and insecurity.
The city recorded an estimated 103.91 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, putting it sixth in the global ranking.
7 Manabí Centro, Ecuador
Manabí Centro is an urban area in Ecuador’s Manabí province rather than a single conventional city. The region has experienced increasing violence connected with organised criminal groups and competition over drug-trafficking routes.
Its estimated homicide rate was approximately 103 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025. The inclusion of this area is also a reminder that the report does not always compare individual city boundaries on an identical basis.
8 Guayaquil, Ecuador
Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city and one of its most important commercial and port centres. Its port facilities are significant to international trade, but criminal organisations have also sought to exploit shipping routes for drug trafficking.
Gang rivalries and prison-related violence have contributed to the city’s security problems. Its estimated homicide rate reached approximately 91 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025.
9 Ciudad Obregón, Mexico
Ciudad Obregón, in the Mexican state of Sonora, has experienced persistent violence associated with organised crime. Competition over trafficking routes and disputes between criminal groups have contributed to the high number of killings in the region.
The estimated homicide rate was 90.81 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, placing the city ninth in the ranking.
10 Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Esmeraldas is a coastal city in northwestern Ecuador, close to the Colombian border. Its geographical position and port infrastructure have made the province important to regional trade, but also vulnerable to criminal networks involved in drug trafficking.
The city recorded an estimated 90 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2025, completing the top ten.
